Ursula Le Guin's She Unnames Them '
Throughout history there has been a power struggle between men and women. According to the Bible, women were made from men, and also for men. Some would say that throughout time, men have always felt superior to women, and that women have assumed more of a subservient role. The woman in Ursula Le Guin’s short story “She Unnames Them” takes the initiative of removing the names of all creatures on earth, which were named by man. This effort was to break the barrier, create equality, and end the power struggle between man and woman. The fem fatal Margot Macomber in Ernest Hemingway’s short story “The Short Happy Life of Francis Macomber” struggles with the possibility of losing her masculinity, and regains her control over her relationship by
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killing her husband. Both short stories have the same social construction of gender. This paper examines how the two authors share a common thread in their intent to depict patriarchal constructions of gender. Both use different aspects of the female vs. male character dynamic. As the lead characters come into their own; the sexist culture of the two patriarchal figures become more exposed. Aaron H. Devor “Becoming Members of Society: Learning the Social Meaning of Gender”, explains differences between gender and sexuality. Gender is typically based on anatomical differences between men and women, but does not necessarily match with them. Gender roles “may be changed without changes being made to biological sex characteristics”. Gender is socially and culturally determined; it is not biologically determined. Gender roles can influence all kinds of behavior, such as choice of clothing, work, and personal relationships. For example, parental roles in a traditional family. In Ursula Le Guin’s story “She Unnames Them” the woman’s act of unnaming all living things was a direct defiance to man’s authority. In the biblical story alluded to earlier; God gave Adam (“man”) the right to name every creature of the earth before Eve (“woman”) was even created. After the process of unnaming was complete, the woman returns her own name to man. She puts anxiety away and tells her husband, “You and your father lent me this ... It 's been really useful, but it doesn 't exactly seem to fit very well lately. But thanks very much!” (3). The woman’s anxiety displays her fear and uncertainty of man’s response; However, she realizes that she must be her own person. Man had named her “woman”, but the woman in the story now feels that her name no longer fits because she wants to be man’s equal. Her name defines her subordination and she wishes to abolish it. On the other hand, she does not wish to anger man and as a result tries to show gratitude. She calls her name a “gift” since it made her a part of man, and thus she benefits somewhat from man’s domination of the earth. She clearly still cares about man and his impression of her, and she does not wish to appear “ungrateful.” Writing in support of the Women’s Rights movement, Le Guin shows that the era of male supremacy must end. Women are capable of being independent, and just as all life is inherently equal, men and women should be equal. Gender inequalities are as artificial as are names and were implemented by men to serve themselves. Though gender equality is not yet complete even today, voices such as Le Guin’s have brought us closer. “The Short Happy Life of Francis Macomber” exemplifies both patriarchal ideologies and feminist theory. Margot manipulates the relationship through sexual politics. She uses her sexuality as a form of punishment. The shooting of her husband is even more ambiguous. We know she was disgusted with Macomber 's cowardice, but does that mean she killed him on purpose, as Wilson suggests she has? Given the short time we have had to get to know Margot, there is simply no way to know for sure. Hemingway has given us a complex character indeed. In many ways, we might think of her as a femme fatale-type. She loves her husband not one bit, but she sure does love his money. She 's very beautiful, and uses her looks to make money, and seduce men who aren 't her husband. There 's no doubt about it – she kicks her husband around. But that puts her in an odd and vulnerable position at the end of the story. What disturbs her so much is that Macomber is no longer a miserable and vulnerable wretch. His victory over the buffalo has made him strong and happy, and that puts her position in their relationship at risk "You 've gotten awfully brave, awfully suddenly," his wife said contemptuously, but her contempt was not secure. She was very afraid of something. Of what, Margot? The buffalo? Probably not. More likely she was scared because her husband finally earned the courage to kick her to the curb. He no longer needs her good looks to boost his confidence; he can do that all on his own. In various cultures men and women are treated differently and are expected to do certain things and act a certain way according to their gender. Men are expected to be masculine and women are to be feminine. In those societies men are in power in all aspects, this is known and seen in patriarchies or patriarchal cultures. Patriarchal ideologies like this one and many more tend to be based on traditional gender roles and anyone who go against the traditional roles are consider unnatural, unhealthy and even immoral. Feminist Author Bell Hooks would say that patriarchal programming is unnatural, unhealthy and unethical. Masculinity is a gender characteristic that is evident in the female characters in She Unnames Them and The Short Happy Life of Francis Macomber.
This characteristic is not just important in these famous stories; it is also seen in our world today. Le Guin shows that the era of male dominance must end. Women are capable of being independent. Just as all life has an order and sense of equality; So should the relationship between men and women. Gender inequalities are as artificial as are names and were implemented by men to serve themselves. Gender equality is not yet equal even in today’s society. The story is told through an omniscient narrator in third person, who is passively observing. Nothing is hidden to the reader, revealing this unpleasant atmosphere. This example from the text shows how much you should the omniscient teller extends – this is the lion 's point of view; the part where it gets shot. By going into the minds of the animals he creates a parallel between the people and animals. They choose to fight for power like Margot in The Short Happy Life of Francis Macomber. Being masculine is not just for men it is within everybody, and it can appear in women/girls at any time within their
lives.
Work Cited
Le Guin, Ursula. "She Unnames Them." Ed. Nancy Gilson, Jonathan Markovitz, and Chad Harris. Dimensions of Culture 3: Imagination. San Diego: University Readers, 2009. 1-2. Print.
Hemmingway, Ernest. "The Short Happy Life of Francis Macomber." The Complete Short Stories of Ernest Hemingway. New York: Scribner, n.d. N. pag. Print.
Hooks, bell. “The Will To Change”. New York, NY: Washington Square Press, 2004. Print. Devor, Aaron H. "Becoming Members of Society." Rereading America 7 (2007): 383-92. Print.
killing her husband. Both short stories have the same social construction of gender. This paper examines how the two authors share a common thread in their intent to depict patriarchal constructions of gender. Both use different aspects of the female vs. male character dynamic. As the lead characters come into their own; the sexist culture of the two patriarchal figures become more exposed. Aaron H. Devor “Becoming Members of Society: Learning the Social Meaning of Gender”, explains differences between gender and sexuality. Gender is typically based on anatomical differences between men and women, but does not necessarily match with them. Gender roles “may be changed without changes being made to biological sex characteristics”. Gender is socially and culturally determined; it is not biologically determined. Gender roles can influence all kinds of behavior, such as choice of clothing, work, and personal relationships. For example, parental roles in a traditional family. In Ursula Le Guin’s story “She Unnames Them” the woman’s act of unnaming all living things was a direct defiance to man’s authority. In the biblical story alluded to earlier; God gave Adam (“man”) the right to name every creature of the earth before Eve (“woman”) was even created. After the process of unnaming was complete, the woman returns her own name to man. She puts anxiety away and tells her husband, “You and your father lent me this ... It 's been really useful, but it doesn 't exactly seem to fit very well lately. But thanks very much!” (3). The woman’s anxiety displays her fear and uncertainty of man’s response; However, she realizes that she must be her own person. Man had named her “woman”, but the woman in the story now feels that her name no longer fits because she wants to be man’s equal. Her name defines her subordination and she wishes to abolish it. On the other hand, she does not wish to anger man and as a result tries to show gratitude. She calls her name a “gift” since it made her a part of man, and thus she benefits somewhat from man’s domination of the earth. She clearly still cares about man and his impression of her, and she does not wish to appear “ungrateful.” Writing in support of the Women’s Rights movement, Le Guin shows that the era of male supremacy must end. Women are capable of being independent, and just as all life is inherently equal, men and women should be equal. Gender inequalities are as artificial as are names and were implemented by men to serve themselves. Though gender equality is not yet complete even today, voices such as Le Guin’s have brought us closer. “The Short Happy Life of Francis Macomber” exemplifies both patriarchal ideologies and feminist theory. Margot manipulates the relationship through sexual politics. She uses her sexuality as a form of punishment. The shooting of her husband is even more ambiguous. We know she was disgusted with Macomber 's cowardice, but does that mean she killed him on purpose, as Wilson suggests she has? Given the short time we have had to get to know Margot, there is simply no way to know for sure. Hemingway has given us a complex character indeed. In many ways, we might think of her as a femme fatale-type. She loves her husband not one bit, but she sure does love his money. She 's very beautiful, and uses her looks to make money, and seduce men who aren 't her husband. There 's no doubt about it – she kicks her husband around. But that puts her in an odd and vulnerable position at the end of the story. What disturbs her so much is that Macomber is no longer a miserable and vulnerable wretch. His victory over the buffalo has made him strong and happy, and that puts her position in their relationship at risk "You 've gotten awfully brave, awfully suddenly," his wife said contemptuously, but her contempt was not secure. She was very afraid of something. Of what, Margot? The buffalo? Probably not. More likely she was scared because her husband finally earned the courage to kick her to the curb. He no longer needs her good looks to boost his confidence; he can do that all on his own. In various cultures men and women are treated differently and are expected to do certain things and act a certain way according to their gender. Men are expected to be masculine and women are to be feminine. In those societies men are in power in all aspects, this is known and seen in patriarchies or patriarchal cultures. Patriarchal ideologies like this one and many more tend to be based on traditional gender roles and anyone who go against the traditional roles are consider unnatural, unhealthy and even immoral. Feminist Author Bell Hooks would say that patriarchal programming is unnatural, unhealthy and unethical. Masculinity is a gender characteristic that is evident in the female characters in She Unnames Them and The Short Happy Life of Francis Macomber.
This characteristic is not just important in these famous stories; it is also seen in our world today. Le Guin shows that the era of male dominance must end. Women are capable of being independent. Just as all life has an order and sense of equality; So should the relationship between men and women. Gender inequalities are as artificial as are names and were implemented by men to serve themselves. Gender equality is not yet equal even in today’s society. The story is told through an omniscient narrator in third person, who is passively observing. Nothing is hidden to the reader, revealing this unpleasant atmosphere. This example from the text shows how much you should the omniscient teller extends – this is the lion 's point of view; the part where it gets shot. By going into the minds of the animals he creates a parallel between the people and animals. They choose to fight for power like Margot in The Short Happy Life of Francis Macomber. Being masculine is not just for men it is within everybody, and it can appear in women/girls at any time within their
lives.
Work Cited
Le Guin, Ursula. "She Unnames Them." Ed. Nancy Gilson, Jonathan Markovitz, and Chad Harris. Dimensions of Culture 3: Imagination. San Diego: University Readers, 2009. 1-2. Print.
Hemmingway, Ernest. "The Short Happy Life of Francis Macomber." The Complete Short Stories of Ernest Hemingway. New York: Scribner, n.d. N. pag. Print.
Hooks, bell. “The Will To Change”. New York, NY: Washington Square Press, 2004. Print. Devor, Aaron H. "Becoming Members of Society." Rereading America 7 (2007): 383-92. Print.